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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, adopt new security strategies capable of eradicating the scourge of banditry and terrorism across the country.
The call came on the heels of the abduction of several female students of the Federal University of Gusau (FUGUS), Zamfara State.
Reports said bandits had, penultimate Friday, stormed three female students’ hostels at the Sabon Gida off campus hostels at night and abducted many students.
The National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, in a statement, yesterday, described the abduction as one too many in recent times, and condemned the incident in its entirety.
He said: “It is with utter consternation that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) received news about the abduction of mostly female students of the Federal University Gusau (FUGUS), from their private hostels, at Sabon Gida Village, Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
“As always, ACF urges the FGN to rejig Nigeria’s security architecture and to come up with new multi-pronged containment strategies against security and related existential threats bedevilling schools and, indeed, all communities. Such new strategies should aim at the total eradication of the scourge of banditry and terrorism country-wide.
“Although official information about the incident is scanty, relative to the enormity of the incident, personal testimonies from witnesses to the disturbing incident suggests that the attack was well planned, coordinated and executed by the bandits/terrorists. Evidently, female students were specifically targeted, and the bandits were at the crime scene fully prepared. Efforts to repel the bandits by elements of the Nigerian Army neither deterred nor stopped the bandits from going off with a yet-to-be fully ascertained number of hapless victims.
“ACF condemns the abductions in the strongest of terms. It is very disconcerting that such a most unfortunate criminal incident is not the first of its kind in memory, but it certainly is one abduction far too many to occur in any community in Nigeria, nor elsewhere in the world.
“For ACF, the incident is even more worrisome, being of far reaching negative implications, among many others, for access to education which, especially for the girl-child, is subject to many formidable challenges in the best of times.
“A pointer to the unfolding tragedy is in an apparent voice note on social media where a girl was heard stating that her father had called her home, ordering that her pursuit of a university degree be abandoned; another was heard advising intending candidates for admission not to select this particular institution as place of choice. This is an absolutely and highly regrettable development to be condemned in all its ramifications.”
ACF, however, commended the Zamfara State government for its timely and quick response to the situation through a high-powered delegation on a confidence-building visit to the scene to commiserate and reassure the community about the government’s commitment to citizens’ safety and security.
“As well, ACF commends the Zamfara State government for immediately convening a meeting with the security agencies to review the situation and re-strategise; and finally, calls on the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to spare no efforts in ensuring that the abducted students are released unharmed forthwith,” the statement added.
